Bittersweet ending for SoCal Blues U19 soccer team

NASA 12 Elite II midfield Abby Lutzenkirchen (33) tries to catch-up with So Cal Blues - Dido Jocelyn Blankenship (14) as Blankenship fired a shot in the first half during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas.SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER

There was no shortage of tears shed by the members of the Southern California Blues U19 girls soccer team after Sunday's championship final in the 2013 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships at Overland Park Soccer Complex in Kansas City.

Not all of them were a result of the San Juan Capistrano-based team's 2-1 loss to NASA 12 Elite II (Georgia), although the overtime loss certainly was a heartbreaker.

"I think it was more so the fact that it was our last time playing together," said Blues forward Danielle Spriggs of Dana Point, a 2012 Dana Hills graduate now at Rice University. "Obviously, it would have been nice to end with a win, but knowing that we played the maximum amount of games together was kind of comforting. It was a good journey, but it was a bummer that it was our last time playing together."

Sunday's tournament final was the end of the line for a group of girls who have played together in the Blues system for multiple seasons, in some cases, like for Spriggs, for as many as 10 years.

That run included three appearances in the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships over the last five years, a span that also included three state and Far West Regional titles.

"Having a trip all together again, it was really nice," said 2012 San Clemente graduate and Texas A&M sophomore-to-be midfielder Janae Cousineau, another member of the club since the U9 level. "With the loss it was so hard, but it was so fun. It was a good last experience; a last hurrah."

All of the scoring in Sunday's final came in the two-half overtime session, as regulation cam down to a grueling defensive stalemate.

"It's really difficult because obviously the whole team is working really hard the entire time defensively, but you have to stay really mentally tough," said Blues goalkeeper Naomi Willett, a 2012 San Clemente graduate, now at Notre Dame. "Overtime was a really rough battle."

Caroline Waters broke the scoreless tie in the 91st minute and Kelsey Nix put NASA up, 2-0, just six minutes later. The Blues' go-to striker in the tournament, Jocelyn Blankenship (Loyola Marymount) of Corona, who led all U19 scorers with four goals, came through again with a goal in the 107thminute, but the clock would run out on the rally.

"It was really hard – the loss, but also mainly it being our last game and losing was tough," Cousineau said. "We gave it all we could. The whole game was pretty even. We had a lot of chances; we just didn't capitalize on them."

The Blues defeated NASA, 2-1, on Friday to win the U19 pool and clinch a berth in the finals. Kodi Lavrusky of Yucaipa and UCLA and Blankenship scored second-half goals that stood up for the win despite Alyse Scott's late goal that drew NASA within a goal in the 84th minute.

Cousineau said NASA came out looking like a different team when the two squads met for the title two days later, playing long ball and repeatedly lobbing over the back line so as to hamper the Blues' possession-based style.

"I think it's always harder mentally when you've already beaten a team and you have to play them again," Spriggs said. "I feel like they knew what to expect and we did as well, but they had a game plan that really worked for them, and they were successful in the end with it."

The Blues got off to a shaky start in their pool-play opener on July 23, needing an 84th-minute goal from Lavrusky to salvage a 2-2 tie against LSC EGA Bravo. From there, however, the team reeled off two straight wins to reach the finals.

"It was kind of bittersweet," Willett said. "Everybody hates losing, but think about how far we came – winning state cup together, winning regionals and even coming to the finals. We're slowly accepting second place out of 10,000 teams."

NASA 12 Elite II midfield Abby Lutzenkirchen (33) tries to catch-up with So Cal Blues - Dido Jocelyn Blankenship (14) as Blankenship fired a shot in the first half during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
So Cal Blues - Dido Aubrey Baker (17) tries to fight her way around NASA 12 Elite II midfield Payton Donley (06) as Donley blocks her progress in the first half during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
So Cal Blues - Dido Madison Krauser (06) leaps to head the ball in front of NASA 12 Elite II midfield Avery Sechrest (43) during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
NASA 12 Elite II defender Emma Sonnett (37) and NASA 12 Elite II midfield Abby Lutzenkirchen (33) squeeze So Cal Blues - Dido Jocelyn Blankenship (14) off of the ball as she made a run toward the goal during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
So Cal Blues - Dido Mikhaila Bowden (04) and So Cal Blues - Dido Madison Krauser (06) appear shocked as NASA 12 Elite II midfield Avery Sechrest (43) and NASA 12 Elite II forward Bria Washington (07) celebrated Washington's goal in the first half of overtime during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
So Cal Blues - Dido Jocelyn Blankenship (14) collapses on the field as the whistle blew in their 2-1 overtime loss during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
Absorbing their 2-1 loss, So Cal Blues - Dido Janae Cousineau (11) covered her eyes as the whistle blew to end the second half of overtime during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
So Cal Blues - Dido Jennifer Stanley (08) comforts So Cal Blues - Dido Janae Cousineau (11) after their 2-1 overtime loss during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
With her back toward her team mates, So Cal Blues - Dido keeper Naomi Willett (31) sobs after a 2-1 overtime loss during the So Cal Blues - Dido vs. NASA 12 Elite II Under-19 championship game at the 2013 US Youth Soccer National Championships at the Overland Park Soccer Complex on Sunday, July 28, 2013 in Overland Park, Kansas. SHANE KEYSER, FOR THE REGISTER
Jessica White, left, of the Southern California Blues U19 soccer team competes against LSC EGA Bravo in a pool-play match of the 2013 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships in Kansas City on July 23. STEVE PRINCE, COURTESY OF
Danielle Spriggs, second from left, competes against LSC EGA Bravo in a pool-play match of the 2013 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships in Kansas City on July 23. STEVE PRINCE, COURTESY OF
Taylor Aldrete of the Southern California Blues U19 soccer team dribbles upfield during a pool-play match against the FC Penn Strikers on July 24 in the 2013 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships in Kansas City. STEVE PRINCE, COURTESY OF
Megan Crosson, left, of the Southern California Blues U19 team during a pool-play match of the 2013 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships against the FC Penn Strikers in Kansas City on July 24. STEVE PRINCE, COURTESY OF

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